


hold me now, if not forever

by Itslynxa



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Can be viewed as platonic but written as romantic, Cuddling & Snuggling, Fluff, Forgot to tag this earlier, Getting together (implied), M/M, Yes I am capable of writing something that isn't crack or heartbreak
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-15
Updated: 2020-09-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:21:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,382
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26475598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Itslynxa/pseuds/Itslynxa
Summary: Merlin goes seeking a method to wake Arthur up that is effective AND does not respond in a negative reaction - but he gets something he doesn't quite expect.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 24
Kudos: 256





	hold me now, if not forever

**Author's Note:**

> This is inspired by a prompt requested on my Tumblr, by an anon, asking "prompt: merlin trying to wake Arthur up and instead of getting up Arthur pulls merlin into the bed too and refuses to let him escape".

In the many years of being a servant, he has not mastered the ways of waking someone up. The act itself isn’t exclusive to being a servant, but it’s one of the many duties regarding the role, and the reluctancy of the person he wakes up each morning does not make it easy. There are many methods that he has tried - all in which fail, with some more effective than others.

However, one thing remains the same - the stubbornness of the person he tries to wake each morning (who also happens to be the king of Camelot, but he digresses). 

The attempts are not the worst of it - it is the reactions from the person he is trying to wake up, who react in many ways depending on his mood (and the method Merlin uses on the day). The reactions range from throwing objects, mindless insults, blatantly ignoring him to name a few. 

Merlin has grown used to the outbursts, but sometimes he wishes that he wouldn’t have to face a reaction that doesn’t result in unkindness. It does take a toll on him after a while. He does wonder if there is something that he can do to improve the whole situation, find a method that kills two birds with one stone. He doesn’t know how to go about it though without being practical and testing them on the person - which is hardly ideal if he is to be truthful.

It is the brink of dawn when he awakes, a new method on his mind. He takes no time to question it intently and leaves the room to retrieve the breakfast tray from the kitchens like he does every morning. 

The cook knows of his request without even needing to speak, so he takes the opportunity to make advancements on the method - and grabs a bucket of water from storage. He returns to the kitchens at the right time, as the cook places the food onto the tray, and he takes it with the bucket hanging on his arm - the cook doesn’t dare to question it, fortunately.

Merlin receives some stares on the walk to the king’s chambers, but he suspects it is for the bucket in his possession, rather than to do with him. The king is asleep when he enters the room, and he knows to place the tray down before anything - so he does just that on the nearest surface to him.

‘Arthur’, he yells.

He does not get a response, not even a twitch. 

‘Alright, I guess it’s time to see if this works’, he murmurs to himself.

The bucket of water is hard to handle, but he manages to pour the contents out as he intended.

Arthur jumps out of his skin and grasps him forcefully, ‘what do you think you are doing?’

‘Uh - waking you up?’, asks Merlin though it shouldn’t be a question.

‘It worked, but don’t you dare ever do that again or I’ll have you flocked.’

‘Yes, sire.’

For some reason, Arthur has not let go of him - his left hand on Merlin’s wrist and the right in the middle of the servant’s back almost possessively. He wants to kiss him suddenly (but is it sudden?).

‘So, where is my breakfast?’, asks Arthur while releasing him at the same time, there’s a look of worry on his face.

‘It’s over there, but do not fret - I’ll get it, we do not want you using your brain too much, you’ll have an aneurysm.’

‘I will shank you right now if you don’t shut up.’

Merlin does not fancy the hassle, so he does not say a word. He picks up the tray from the surface and puts it on the bed. 

‘I think this is the first time that you’ve followed a simple command without needing to tell you twice.’

‘Believe it or not, but I am capable of some things, sire.’

‘I do not believe that for a second.’

Arthur moves from the bed, choosing to sit on the chair instead. ‘Bring my tray over’, he demands.

‘Fine, bossy.’

‘I am your boss, so yes’, says Arthur, ‘and also I need you to wash my sheets after.’

Merlin regrets the decision of waking him up like that now. ‘If you insist’, he says as he goes to move the tray from the bed to the table adjacent to the chair. He tunes out whatever the king might be saying in favour of concentrating on removing the sheets (and the odd cushion) off the bed. The sheets are soaked, thanks to the method of waking up used, and now his hands are damp.

‘I will return later’, says Merlin with sheets and pillow in hand.

Arthur waves him off, clearly not paying much mind to the servant, while eating his breakfast. 

He thinks the method is successful in terms of effectiveness, but the reaction is not worth risking each morning. The aftermath would always result in him needing to wash the sheets each morning - which is adding more work into his duties, and he does not want that whatsoever. It is not worth it in a million years.

Back to the thinking machine, it is. 

-

Sometimes he will walk in and find the king curled up with a pillow - holding onto it in his sleep as if his life depended on it. It is rather endearing to see, and it makes him wonder if there’s more to it.

Then he thinks of an idea.

-

It is the next morning when he thinks about his idea. He wonders if it will work or if he will face the consequences worse than ever before.

He debates it on the walk to the chambers, and he reaches the doors before he can even make a concrete decision. The doors open and he strolls through, and he finds him snuggled with a pillow yet again and decides to go for it - what is the worse that could happen? 

Merlin sets the tray down on the table and stands beside the bed. It is not a surprise to him that he is hesitant. It is not every day that he tries to snuggle the king - someone who regards him as a nuisance and nothing more (maybe a friend on a good day). 

He sets himself on the bed, and it is much more comfortable than his own. The move does not revoke a reaction, and he goes to remove the pillow from the tight hold it is in and succeeds. He notices the other man automatically reach out in his sleep and Merlin takes it the cue to move closer - he ends up getting grabbed himself. 

He is unsure what to do with himself now that he has reached this part of the goal. It is a little awkward, because of his position, so he alters it so that he is more comfortable (and closer) - and suddenly there is a leg wretched between his and a face in his neck. 

They are snuggling.

Merlin instinctively closes his eyes and rests his head on the pillow, but he starts to choke on the amount of hair in his mouth. It wakes the other person up, and he expects a push - but it never comes. If anything, he is being pulled closer, arms enclosing around him further, as if to stop him from getting away. 

The choking stops once he moves his face and presses it against a shoulderblade; there’s a hand in his hair. 

‘Merlin?’

‘..Yes?’

Arthur does not respond in a verbal sense, but rather through touch - he slips a hand underneath his servant’s tunic and feels his skin, and Merlin giggles. ‘That tickles.’ 

He retaliates by pressing his face into his neck, breathing into it, and he can feel Arthur’s sensational shiver through their close contact. ‘If you are trying to wake me up, it’s not working that well because now I want to stay in bed forever.’ 

‘Oh’, says Merlin.

Arthur laughs, tightening the arm around Merlin as if to enclose him in.

This method works - though it does not kill two birds with one stone, or anything of the sort, it is a win in his book. And if the breakfast is cold by the time that they leave the bed, nobody has to know.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I appreciate any comments/kudos, I strive off approval of any kind. (If you're here from other fics, I am sorry.)
> 
> Follow me on Tumblr if you feel like it!


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